About

St. Matthew Lutheran Church

St. Matthew Lutheran Church is a historic, orthodox, confessional parish "built on Christ Jesus himself" (Ephesians 2:20). We adhere to the Gospel message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, upon Scripture alone. In a culture full of anger, fear, and loneliness, we have the vision to be an intentional Lutheran community where the Gospel is proclaimed boldly, the Sacraments celebrated joyfully, the Faith taught clearly, the cross is embraced prayerfully, and we serve humbly.

St. Matthew Lutheran is gladly in fellowship with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and all her partner church bodies in the International Lutheran Council throughout the world. We trace our heritage through the Reformation to the ancient church established by Christ himself.

Our Crest

The Lutheran Rose, also known as Luther’s Seal, is a symbol designed by Martin Luther to represent his theology. The seal features a cross within a red heart, symbolizing faith in Christ’s sacrifice. The heart is placed on a white rose, representing the joy, comfort, and peace that faith brings. The rose is surrounded by a blue field, signifying the heavenly joy to come, and the entire seal is encircled by a gold ring, reflecting the eternal and priceless nature of salvation.

In Confessional Lutheranism, the seal is a visual summary of core beliefs, emphasizing justification by faith alone and the hope of eternal life. It is used by many Lutheran church bodies worldwide as a sign of adherence to historic Lutheran doctrine, particularly those holding to the Book of Concord (1580) as a true and faithful exposition of Scripture.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), a prominent Confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States, prominently uses the seal. The LCMS upholds traditional Lutheran teachings and maintains strong connections with like-minded Lutheran bodies globally, particularly through the International Lutheran Council (ILC). The seal serves as a unifying symbol for the LCMS’s commitment to Scripture alone, grace alone, and faith alone, aligning with the confessional integrity of other Lutheran bodies that share these convictions.

Our Pastor

Rev. Isaac “Ike” Nicholson, D.Min. serves as Pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church and Head of School at Christ Community Lutheran School, a new classical, Lutheran school in Almena, Wisconsin. Before his current call, he served in urban parish revitalization on the Southside of Chicago with the English District of the LCMS, where he worked extensively in community engagement.

Pastor Nicholson has a passion for confessional Lutheran theology, catechesis, and equipping congregations to navigate cultural change with Gospel clarity. He is a frequent speaker on congregational revitalization and catechetical evangelism at conferences and workshops, bringing over 30 years of experience in local church revitalization. He is married to Shauna Nicholson and they have four children.